Car-coupling



(No Model.)

B. J. UPS ON.

Oar Coupling No. 236,468. Pa tented Jan. 11, I881.

wwa-rys; v m, Jule/"for.

)4. w. M it m -PETzRs, PHQTQ-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, a C.

ATENT FFICE.

BOLIVAB J. UPSON, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS,

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,468, dated January 11, 1881, Application filed November 17, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BOLIVAR J. UPsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of carcouplings which use the ordinary link and coupling-pin, in which there is a block sliding longitudinally within the draw-head.

The object of my invention is to provide means for holding the link firmly in position preparatory to coupling the cars, so that it will not be knocked out of place by any accidental blow or by the shock of the cars when they meet, the sliding block being constructed so that it will be pushed back automatically out of the way when the cars have been properly coupled. This I accomplish by providing the sliding block with pins or studs on either side, which project through and slide in slots in the sides of the draw-head. The forward part of each slot is notched or enlarged on the upper side, so as to form a vertical shoulder, against which the studs in the block bear when the block is in its forward posit-ion, and held up by the rear end of thelink being wedged beneath it. A recess is cut at the lower edge of the block, with a vertical shoulder to receive the end of the link.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved coupling, partly in section, with the link in position for coupling and Fig. 2 shows the draw-head of the adjacent car with the block and pin set ready to receive said link.

A is the draw-head, and B is the block sliding within the same. Said block fills the chamber of the draw-head, in which it slides laterally, but not vertically, space being left for the block to be raised by the link, as aforesaid 5 or the block can be slightly wedge shape, of the same cross-section as the chamber of the drawhead at its rear end, and tapering on its upper or lower face to the front end of the block, so as to allow the proper vertical play.

I) is the recess cut in the lower edge of the block to receive the end of the link 0. This recess has the vertical shoulder b, against which the end of the link bears. D is one of the slots in the side of the draw-head, there being one on each side, in which the pin or stud F of the block slides. By means ofthese pins the block is drawn forward to support the coupling-pin of the adjacent car in the ordinary way, as shown in Fig. 2.

d is the shoulder formed bythe enlargement of the slot on its upper side, against which the pin F bears when the block is locked up by the link. i

The bottom of the opening in the draw-head at the front end is elevated or raised by a wedge-shaped block, E, attached to the drawhead, or by a similar enlargement of the drawhead itself, made when the same is cast. This block raises the link and holds it at the proper elevation for coupling. When the link is set the weight of its overhanging portion holds the block up, or the link is pushed in as a wedge beneath the block, the studs F bear against the shoulders d, and the block is locked against any longitudinal movement. The elevation E serves to hold the link in a horizontal or slightly elevated position.

The process of coupling is as follows: The block B is drawn forward, the end of the link placed beneath the same, which raises the block and brings the pins F in front of the shoulders D, as shown by Fig. 1, its couplingpin H being of course in place. The coupling of the adjacent car is set, with the block B, back out of the way, and the pin H falls into its place. The block B is still locked but when the cars are started the link is drawn out from beneath the block. The block then falls, and whenever the draw-heads come together again the link pushes it back out ofthe way into the position shown by dotted lines in Fig.1. The link then has ample room in which to move without being jammed or bent. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureeby Letters Patent, lS

1. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head having a longitudinal opening, and the side slots, D, provided with the vertical shoulders 01, with the sliding block B, having the lateral studs F, as and for the purpose set forth.

2; In a car-coupling, the combination of the draw-head A, having slots D and shoulders 61, with the block B, having the studs F and recess b, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a car-coupling, the draw-head A, having the slots D, with shoulders d, and the raised bottom E, in combination with the block B, having the studs F and recess 1), and the link 0, all as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

BOLIVAR J. UPSON. Witnesses:

SAM. S. SMITH, JOHN F. LAGUSTE. 

